Support Session
For the moment, I'm going to don my fiction writer's hat and pretend that you are my writer's support group, OK? (Because many of you who read this blog are my main supporters when it come to this book writing lark anyway.) All set? Alrighty then . . . .
What is going on in my real life inevitably colors what I'm writing in the fictional universe. That may seem kind of obvious, but at the moment it is posing some serious problems! Normally, it's kind of helpful-- I wrote several argument scenes for Andie (the main character in the two finished books) after having real-life disagreements with either my parents or my husband. A completely baffling and horrid situation between two of my roommates in college gave rise to a betrayal plot line. Having M completely altered the end of the first novel. But right now, I'm struggling to get a new novel flowing, and what is going on in my life? Nausea. And who on earth wants to read a story about feeling sick? I sure don't want to write about it. It's frustrating, and it just makes me want to bang my head against the wall.
OK, I feel better having complained a bit. I promise, I won't bug you guys with further moaning about my less-than-stellar stomach.
The other problem that is nagging at me is what to do with these nearly finished books. With some very generous help (thanks Pete and Amy!) I'm getting them all proofread and edited and generally spiffed up. Now the question is, what do I do with them? I've done some research into the publishing process and here as I see it are my options:
1. Try and find an agent that will represent me. This will cost me a fortune in postage and probably get me a gazillion rejection letters (and who likes to be rejected?) However, if I should actually catch the interest of a non-scam-artist agent, it is my best chance of actually selling my book to a publisher. In a best case scenario with this option, I could see my book in print in a couple of years. On the other hand, if I do go this route, and either book is picked up, they will probably expect me to be part of any publicity for the book. Meaning I could have to talk to people I don't know (yikes!!!) and possibly travel for weeks, leaving the family unable to function (double yikes!!!!)
2. Try to sell my book directly to a publisher. Possibly the book would get into print faster this way. This has all the cons above though, plus the added one of probably getting taken advantage of when it comes to the book contract. That's what agents are good for. Also, it's a terrible time to try and get published as an unknown author. Many of the major publishers are in financial deep water and not interested in taking risks.
3. Self-publish the books. Will cost me some but probably no different than the postage costs for options #1 and #2. This option will take an incredible amount of work from me to make the books look professional, and I'll never "hit it big" this way, but at least my family and friends could get nice, real copies of the books within a few months.
4. Just stick the manuscripts in a file and figure out what to do with them later. If I do anything at all. (This is Terence's favorite option.)
OK, my surrogate writer's support group! What would you do if you were me?
Comments
My mom suggested that I just put the books out there-- it can't hurt to try, and then remind myself that it's really random chance if they get picked up anyway, not proof that my books are terrible if they don't. She compared it to burying my talent if I just file them away....
Still, I get near panicky at the thought of having to be the promoter of the book. Maybe I should be a ghostwriter and somebody else can do the talking! :-)
But I'm glad to hear I could help in at least ONE way. :)